"Moonlight Forest" Chinese Lantern Festival at the LA County Arboretum

The "Moonlight Forest" exhibit at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden was breathtaking in both its beauty and its scope.  The Chinese lanterns on display encompass three themes:  nature, children's garden, and Chinese culture.   The whimsy of the children's garden was fun, but my favorite was all the animals in the nature section.  While I was impressed with the Chinese culture displays, it was really neat to see how they acknowledged California culture through a poppy exhibit and a California bear.  Though it would seem as the entire exhibit was a playground for selfies, the internal glow of each design meant the lighting usually was not ideal for self-photography.  But the atmosphere was definitely aglow!  And the exhibit went on and on.  

The lanterns were crafted of wire forms covered by silk or nylon fabric and lit internally with LED lights.  Exposed to the elements outdoors, I was surprised how good the exhibit looked even though we went when it was near the closing date.

Dragon Light Tunnel--the dragon is an imagined reptile that represents evolution from the ancestors and qi endergy.

Auspicious Flowers--symbols of happiness and good fortune.

 

Terracotta Warriors--in 1987 the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and the Terracotta Army pit were approved by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization as part of the World Heritage List.

 

Fish of Abundance--the pronunciation of "fish" in Chinese is the same as "surplus," which signifies wealth and food for the year.

 

Kylin--in ancient Chinese legend this beast is said to have a lifespan of two thousand years.  It is believed that where there is a Kylin, there is a favorable omen.

Parrots and Flower

Bird Paradise--the Arboretum is a wildlife sanctuary for a variety of birds, and they love it.

Chinese Palace--a replica of an imperial complex where the royal court and the civil government resided.

Color Changing Frog

Dolphins

Sea Turtle

Penguins

Polar Bears

 

California Poppies--became the official state flower of California in 1903.

Bamboo Grove

Crocodile

Swans

 

California Grizzly Bear

Orchids

 

Octopus

Hippos

Monkeys--there are about 260 known species

Pine Tree and Cranes--cranes are a symbol of long life.

Coyotes--coyotes were sighted in eastern Panama (across the Panama Canal from their home range) for the first time in 2013.

Giraffes

Zebras

Elephants

Dancing Carrots--the belief that eating carrots improves night vision is a myth put forward by the British in World War II to mislead the enemy about their military capabilities.